Composition is an important factor that helps define an image. Mastering the term is also beneficial to help draw viewers into the picture by noticing particular elements that may fall into a perfect composition. In its simplest form, you can break a photo into third lines. That is to say two equal horizontal lines and two equal vertical lines on the frame, resulting in what’s commonly referred to as the ‘Rule of Thirds’.
Explaining The Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is about aligning your photographic subject on a third line or an intersection of third lines. Most noticeably, landscape photographers will use this technique when photographing the horizon. When you look at a landscape image taken by a professional, you may notice that the horizon isn’t in the middle of the photograph. Instead, the photographer may position the horizon on either the top third line or the bottom horizontal third line. By doing so, it allows the photographer to either show two-thirds foreground or two-thirds sky in the photograph.
However, one must ask, can the rule of thirds ever be broken?
Do you have to maintain these guides in every photo to make it an award-winner?
The simple answer is no.
Breaking Composition Rules
Rules are rules. Don’t feel bad if you break composition rules. There are no consequences. Instead of following the way you might have been taught, instead, you need to explore your creativity. As a creative photographer, there are no boundaries. Photography is an expression, and it is 100% okay to break composition rules to tell your visual story.
Understanding when to break from the composition tradition can be hard at first, but in this article, we will explore a few scenarios.
Scenario One: Focus on The Story Not The Image
Probably the best way to know when to break composition rules is to understand the moments that matter. For instance, take an emotional scene at a wedding. Of course, you can take your time to compose an image, but life happens spontaneously. Sometimes you may not have the time to capture the shot. As you look to your left after looking through the viewfinder, you may notice one of the guests wiping away tears or hugging the mother of the bride. Whipping your camera to the side, you might only have a fraction of a second to capture the moment.
It’s at this precise moment that capturing the emotion of the day unfolding is more important than any other photographic technique. So throw your composition rules outside the window and press the shutter button. Over time you will get to learn composition. Don’t worry about trying to get the best shot, instead focus on covering the best moments.
Scenario Two: Creativity Knows No Boundaries
Like the rule of thirds composition rules also tell you that your subject should fill the entire frame. In other words, you need to remove any distracting backgrounds, so the viewer only focuses on the main subject. Well another casing point, you can break this rule. This is where you can get creative. Take, for instance, a person standing in front of a large building or someone who is lost in the landscape. Try positioning the person right in the middle of the frame. Then with a wide-angle lens, you can portray the perspective of the subject or landscape.
The resulting image will be a more striking result. The viewer should be able to experience the scale of the story you are trying to tell. In the case of the building, you can tell the story of how big the building is. Whereas the landscape, by breaking composition and positioning the person in the center of the frame, you help convey the story of being lost in nature.
Scenario Three: Use Creative Blur To Convey Movement
When you first start in photography, you may hear photographers talk about how sharp a photo is. While this has a lot to do with the quality of the lens, it’s common practice always to have your photo in focus. It sounds like a rule, doesn’t it?
Well we know rules can certainly be broken and in this composition form, you can break tradition. Instead of having a sharp image, you may want to experiment with ICM photography. ICM stands for Intentional Camera Movement. Instead of stabilizing the camera while the shutter is open; instead, you intentionally move the camera. By doing so, you can create some striking results that blow composition out of the water.
Scenario Four: Explore Dutch Tilt
The word dutch tilt originates from cinema camera operators. They have used this technique in movies for decades. The most iconic of shots that portray dutch tile is the low angle frame of the villain in a western movie. The interesting angle helps show the face of the villain in a different light - and most importantly, the shot breaks all the composition rules.
Photographers are beginning to use the technique more and more. Imagine yourself rotating your camera 45 degrees and taking a photo. This oblique angle helps interestingly convey vertical angles. It’s as if you are rotating your head to the side to view the subject.
Adopting this technique throws out all composition rules and instead provides a fresh perspective. Think of using this when photographing buildings or close up portraits. The results can be quite striking.
What Is Good Composition?
What does make a great photo and is there such a thing as good composition?
Based on the three scenarios, we explored composition all have different scenarios that don’t follow the same pattern. Rules are meant to be broken. Why should every photo look the same? Creating photographic art is self-expression, and it is true to say everyone sees the world differently. So the next time you pick up a camera and lens forget about the rule book. Instead, explore the world of creativity, perspective, and self-expression.
As a result, your photographs will become more dynamic, interesting, and each image will tell a different story.
Casey Barbles 
Jeff Yelton 